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8 Instant Mood Boosters

Your boss is piling on the work. Traffic is in gridlock mode. The kids won’t … stop … whining. And you? You could benefit from some sort of emotional pick-me-up right about now.

You’re in luck: Research shows that there are a number of simple things you can do to transform grumpiness into happiness (quickly).

“You can change habits, behavior, and attitudes one inch at a time. Just be persistent,” says Philip H. Friedman, PhD, a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist in Plymouth Meeting, Pa., who is director of the Foundation for Well Being and an adjunct assistant professor at the Institute for Transpersonal Psychology.

Got a minute? Then hug your partner, check out some artwork, and give these other smile-inducers a shot.

Ogle at Artwork

Hurry — head to your local museum, locate the Van Gogh, and give it good look: According to a recent University College of London study, looking at artwork can trigger pleasure responses in the brain.

During the study, participants underwent brain scans while eyeballing paintings by artists such as Monet, Rembrandt, and Leonardo da Vinci. When they saw something they liked, blood flow in certain parts of the brain increased by about 10 percent (the equivalent of gazing at a loved one, according to the researchers).

“Looking at artwork is a form of visualization,” explains Sheela Raja, PhD, a clinical psychologist and assistant professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago. “Looking at calming, peaceful scenes can definitely help people relax and de-stress. It’s basically a form of distraction but not in a bad way — sometimes distracting yourself for a few minutes can put a bad mood into perspective.”

Take a Power Nap

Cranky? A short but restorative nap may be just what the doctor ordered. While a recent study published in the Journal of Sleep Research found that nap-deprived toddlers exhibited lower levels of joy and increased levels of anxiety, the emotional benefits of a mid-afternoon snooze may extend to all ages: The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) says that short naps can help improve mood, alertness, and performance in adults.

NSF suggests dozing off for 20 to 30 minutes in the mid- to late afternoon — just enough time to leave you refreshed while forgoing the drowsiness that results from going into a deeper stage of sleep.

Get Decked Out in Green (or Yellow or Pink or Blue)

Proponents of color psychology agree: Pick a color that makes you happy, and go all out! Color has been shown to have a profound effect on how we feel.

While certain hues have been linked to specific emotional states (for example, research published in the journal Science showed that blue can inspire creativity and red can help you be more accurate), other studies show that different colors can provoke very different reactions in people.

“The important thing here is that if you find a certain color relaxing or motivating, wearing that color can give you a mental boost,” says Raja. “Basically, when you choose the color with the awareness of what it does for you — for example, ‘blue keeps me calm’ — you are also reinforcing that message in your mind.”

Jam Out

You probably don’t need science to convince you: Your favorite tune can take your mood from low to euphoric in an instant.

But science doesn’t hurt: A recent study from the British Journal of Psychiatry found that depressed individuals who participated in musical therapy (as well as traditional standard care) had a greater level of improvement than those in traditional therapy only — they exhibited less anxiety and lower levels of depression. That means you can do more than turn on the radio to pick yourself up — you may want to bang on the piano or turn your kitchen counter into a drum set.

Hug Your Honey!

When you’re feeling gloomy, sometimes all it takes to cheer up is a little cuddle-session with the person you love most. In fact, a recent Australian study of more than 60,000 people (as part of the Nestlé Happily Healthy Project) found that men who hugged more often were happier than those who didn’t.

Hugging can help people feel reassured and loved, says Raja. It also can slow your breathing rate and lower your blood pressure while increasing the feel-good hormone oxytocin, she explains.

Take a Piping-Hot Shower

Ahhh — there’s nothing quite better than dipping into a warm, steamy bath. But the high temps may do more than just soothe you — research shows they can boost your mood and also fight loneliness.

The Yale University study surveyed 51 students about their levels of loneliness and everyday habits, concluding that some people use physical warmth (like hot showers and roasting cups of coffee) as a substitute for social warmth.

“People have a need for emotional warmth and affection,” says Raja. “When this comes in the form of hugging and touching, our basic needs can be met. When it is not, taking showers and baths that also increase body temperature can subsequently improve our mood. So, compared to emotional warmth, physical warmth seems to cause similar body and brain responses, and that’s good news for mood management!”

Go Ahead: Sniff His Dirty Laundry

Research published in the journal Biology of Reproduction found that, surprisingly enough, male sweat can boost a woman’s mood. The researchers collected samples from the armpits of deodorant-free men and placed it on the upper lips of a group of women. Turns out, they rated their mood as higher when wearing the perspiration.

In fact, scent is likely one factor that (subconsciously) attracted you to your mate in the first place, says Raja, so it only goes to reason that this smell can cause you to smile (even if those pits wreak).

Fake It Till You Make It

Can you really trick yourself into feeling happier by forcing yourself to smile? According to a growing body of research, yes!

One such study (from psychologists at the University of Cardiff in Wales) looked at participants who had recently received Botox injections — their cosmetic procedures actually inhibited their ability to frown. Though they surprisingly did not report feeling more attractive post-procedure, they did report feeling happier and less anxious — and the researchers believe it had something to do with their inability to pout.

“We often think that we smile in response to being happy, but the reverse is also true,” says Raja. “We can definitely influence mood by manipulating our facial expressions. The facial muscles provide feedback to the brain, and we experience less negative emotions if we smile.” (However, too much suppression of negative feelings can snowball, so use this mood booster with caution).